Demons
by esbunker16
Summary: After the war, the Wizarding World is left reeling for the aftermath of Voldemort's destruction. Everyone is trying to cope, and move on, but their experiences are still anchors, continuously weighing them down. Hermione chooses to go back to Hogwarts, one of the few to do so, to try and find her closure. She wasn't expecting for a blonde Adonis to be there, too...


A/N: Hello, again! This is Mochi, the author... I had a new idea for a story, and I decided to write a quick intro, see if anyone's interested in more! Please do review or favorite to show your approval! May I present... Demons...

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Disclaimer: I own no part of Harry Potter, including the characters and original plot line. All of that came from the magical recesses of J.K. Rowling's mind.

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Chapter 1 - Hurt

Her dagger pressed against my throat, eager to hurt. "Tell me, Mudblood. DID YOU GO INTO MY VAULT?" her scratchy voice demanded, full of malice. "If you tell me, maybe I won't kill you," she offered, darkly saccharine sweet. Cold metal pushed more forcefully, edge seeking blood. Her tangled, crow-black hair brushed my shoulder, as she bent her neck to whisper in my ear. "I'll brand you like the filth you are," she sneered menacingly.

My body convulsed as I sat up, heart pounding the resonance of fear, eyes alert and shining with terror. My breathing eased as I frantically looked around the room, running my arms up and down each other, trying to warm the cold in my body.

"It's alright," I murmured aloud, trying to convince myself I was safe. I hadn't slept through the night since the day I left the darkness of the Manor, haunted by nightmares of pain and distress. It had become like a shadow, following, ever close behind. The day the war ended had been some form of closure, but fears are irrational. They stay long after the day they were made. Everyone at Hogwarts who had survived to tell the tale was given a choice; return and finish your seventh year, or leave, and begin anew. Me being me, of course, ever the intellectual, had chosen to return. It hadn't been an easy choice, thinking about the horrors lingering, and the fears that lurked. My hope was that confronting the past would let me move on.

I quickly removed the sheets, and swung my feet over the bed, hoping to get out of this confining space. Sliding my feet into a pair of slippers, I quickly walked over to my closet and donned a thin robe. In the hazy candlelight, I could see the small grey birds weaving their way around the silk, flying. It was innumerable, the amount of times I had wished to become one, and leave behind this weight I carried. My door creaked slightly, as I turned the knob and quietly, cat-like, slipped down the stairs. I turned the corner, and looked at the living room of the Burrow, peering intently at the moon shining outside, prominent among the many stars and constellations. I had to leave, I decided, and walked out the front door.

I could hear the gentle swaying of the grass, moving with the light wind. Small patches of emerald shone in the moonlight, as I sat down and turned my head up to look at the shining crescent hanging in the obsidian sky. I had longed for the day when I could do just this, free of the fear and anxiety. But that day hadn't come yet, it seemed. In my daze, I hadn't seen the figure dashing out the front door of the Burrow, calling.

"Mione! What are you doing out here? It's the middle of the night, for Merlin's sake," Harry remarked, sitting beside me.

"It's calming, to look at the moon," I replied, giving the slightest hint of a smile. "It brings some peace to my mind."

"I'm sorry, Mione. For putting you through hell and back, for causing you pain, for dragging you down with me. I'm sorry," Harry said solemnly, peridot orbs boring into my hazelnut ones.

"You have nothing to apologize for," I vehemently denied, shaking my head. "I chose to be your friend, to do this with you. It is not your fault," I told him, shaking his shoulders to emphasize my point.

Harry gave a smile, and commented, "That's the Mione we all know and love. Well, I need to sleep, unlike some night owls here, so I'll be going now. You can always talk to me, you know that right?" he asked, concerned.

I waved him off, as he kissed me softly on the head and left. I knew he had more things to deal with than me, so I tried not to worry him. After all, everyone is looking for someone whose demons play well with their own. I hadn't found mine yet.


End file.
